Multiple spindle drive for spinning and twining machines



May 22, 1962 w. STAHLECKER MULTIPLE SPINDLE DRIVE FOR SPINNING AND TWINING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I IIW lll-P'UII iii! JTT'OI EYS.

y 1962 w. STAHLECKER 3,035,400

MULTIPLE SPINDLE DRIVE FOR SPINNING AND TWINING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/VVEIVTOR Mil/1 5774/11 CKR 3,035,400 MULTIPLE SPINDLE DRIVE FOR SPINNING AND TWINllNG MACHINES 1 Wilhelm Stahlecker, Robsteige 28, Tieringeu, near Baliugen, Germany Filed June 11, 1957, Ser. No. 664,965 Claims priority, application Germany June 16, 1956 5 Claims. (Cl. 57--105) The present invention relates to a new multiple-spindle drive, particularly for the spindles 'of spinning and twining machines and the like.

The old conventional method of driving the spindles of spinning and twining machines consisted of individual cord drives for each spindle. Since these cords, fitting tightly into the grooves of the spindle wharves and fully looped around the same, were somewhat resilient, they usually did not require any tension pulleys. However, such cord drives required much service since the cords wore out very quickly and had to be often replaced. For this reason, the band or belt drives, although more complicated because of their need for tension pulleys, quickly replaced the primitive cord drives. These belt drives were usually designed so that one belt drove four spindles.

All of the spindle drives as known in the prior art had, however, the disadvantage of requiring considerable space, as well as large drive pulleys or drums. These large pulleys running at a high speed produced a strong wind movement and thus a considerable fly formation, soon resulting in excessive soiling of the machine and its driving means. While such -a machine is in operation, it is, however, very dangerous and hardly possible either to clean the machine itself or the large area occupied by the drive pulleys, tension pulleys, and belts. Unless frequently removed, which requires that the machine be stopped, the lint, dust, and dirt, whirling around the machine and soiling its parts render the operation of the machine very unhealthy and eventually lead to a breakdown thereof. While inviting such wind currents, the large area required for accommodating these driving means "also makes it very difficult to find sufficient space for other required elements or to cover up the moving parts.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a multiple-spindle drive, particularly for spin ning and twining machines or the like, which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages of the spindle drives previously known.

The new driving system according to the invention merely consists of a single drive shaft which is rotatably mounted between two rows of spindles. In order to render this possible, the invention relies upon the new concept that the driving force of the single drive shaft may be doubly utilized, namely, as that in the case of the spindle located on one side of said drive shaft, the runs of said belts extending directly between those spindles and their respective driving pulleys are tension runs, and in the case of the spindles located on the other side of said drive shaft the runs of the belts directly connecting these spindles with their respective driving pulleys are slack runs.

An important feature of the invention therefore consists in the fact that each individual spindle is driven by atet 3,035,400 Patented May 22, 1962 the single drive shaft mounted between the two rows of spindles by means of a separate endless belt.

Another object of the present invention is to provide very simple and efficient means for maintaining the various belts at the proper tension and for adjusting such tension in the event that the machine is to be driven in the opposite direction by reversing the direction of rotation of the common drive shaft.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof, particularly when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatical pian view of the new drive system;

FIG. 2 shows a side view thereof, partly in cross section; while FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatical side view of a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and first particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the drive shaft 1 carrying a pulley 2 at one end is driven in a clockwise direction by a motor 3. Drive shaft 1 which is mounted centrally between the two sides of the frame of the machine carries a plurality of pulleys 4 and 4. Closely adjacent and underneath each pulley 4 and 4", and alternately at one side or the other of drive shaft 1, a tension pulley 5 or 5, respectively, is rotatably mounted on the machine frame, while an idler 6 or 6 is disposed at one side of shaft 1 at a point where its upper surface is substantially at an equal level with the pulley portion on a spindle 8 or 8 at the opposite side of shaft 1. Each spindle 8 and 8 is connected with its respective drive pulley 4 or 4 -by a separate endless cord or belt running over the respective tension pulley 5 or 5 and idler 6 or 6. Of course, instead of providing a separate drive pulley 4 or 4' for each spindle 8 or 8, one wider drive pulley may also be used to drive several spindles.

The direction of rotation of the drive shaft 1 is indicated in the figures of the drawing by arrows. \Hence it will be apparent from a consideration of FIGURE 1 that the tension runs of the belts for driving spindles 8 at the left of the drive shaft extend directly between these spindles and their respective driving pulleys 4, while in the case of the spindles 3' at the right of the drive shaft the slack runs of the belts extend directly between spindles 8' and their respective driving pulleys 4. The necessary frictional engagement for properly driving the spindles may be attained by making the driving belts of the most suitable width or by placing the belts or cords under the proper tension. For this purpose, each tension pulley 5, 5' is preferably mounted so as to be slidable in a direction toward its idler 6 or 6', and a spring 7 or 7 of suitable strength tends to retract the respective pulley 5 or 5 and thereby maintains the belt under the proper tension.

In the event that the spindles 8, 8 at both sides of shaft 1 should be desired to be driven with substantially the same torque or the same amount of slippage of the respective belts, it will be necessary to compensate for the difference in the values of the power that can be transmitted by the belts engaging these spindles. This difference is due to the fact, referred to above, that the spindles 8' receive the slack runs of their belts directly from their driving pulleys 4', while the pulleys 4 draw the tensioned runs of their belts directly from spindles 8. As a consequence, the values of the power that can be transmitted by the former belts are less than the values of the power that can be transmitted by the latter belts. To equalize these values the latter belts may be placed under a lower tension than the belts driving spindles 8'. Therefore, if both sets of spindles are to be driven by belts of equal width, springs 7 on pulleys should be of 20 to 35% greater tension than springs 7 on pulleys 5 or, if the pulleys at both sides are to be of substantially equal tension, the belts for driving spindles 8 should be of 20 to 35% greater width than those driving spindles 8 at the left side.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically indicates the adjustability of spring 7, the lower end of which is hooked into a bolt 9 which is slidable in a slot in the bracket on which pulley 5 is slidably guided and may be tightened in different positions on such bracket.

FIG. 3 illustrates a very simple and efficient modification of the belt tensioning device which permits a very quick reversal of the necessary tension of the belts driving the spindles 14 and 14' at opposite sides of the drive shaft in the event that the direction of rotation of the latter is to be reversed. The lower ends of springs 10 and 10 of opposite tension pulleys 13 and 13' are mounted on opposite arms 12 and 12 which are both mounted on a shaft 11 and are offset relative to each other in a direction parallel to the drive shaft. Thus, arms 12 and 12 together form a double-armed lever which is pivotable to a certain predetermined extent in either direction and adapted to be secured in either of these pivoted positions, for example, by a nut clamping shaft 11 in a fixed position. Thus, if the common drive shaft is rotated in a direction so that spindle 14 at the right side is driven by that portion of the belt leading from the interposed idler pulley and spindle 14 by that portion of the belt leading from the drive shaft pulley, arms 12, 12 are to be pivoted in the clockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 3, whereby spring 10' will be tightened and spring 10 released by corresponding amounts. If, however, the direction of rotation of the drive shaft is to be reversed so that spindle 14 will then be driven by that portion of the belt leading from the drive shaft pulley and spindle 14 by that portion of the belt leading from the inter-posed idler pulley, arms 12, 12' should be pivoted to the same extent in the other, or counterclockwise direction so that spring 10 on pulley 13 will then be tightened and spring 10' on pulley 13 released. Instead of merely combining two adjacent spring supports by a common shaft 11 so as to form a spring tensioner for the tension pulleys 13 and 13 for only two adjacent belts, shaft 11 may also extend substantially along the entire length of the machine and carry the spring tensioners for all the tension pulleys of the machine. If the direction of rotation of the drive shaft is then to be changed, it is merely necessary to loosen the clamping means on shaft 11 and to pivot all of the arms 12 and 12', which are secured to shaft 11, in the other direction.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A multiple-spindle drive for spinning machines or the like comprising a single drive shaft, a row of spindles at each side of said drive shaft, driving pulleys on said drive shaft and driven pulleys on said spindles, separate endless belts connecting said driving pulleys with said driven pulleys, adjustable tension means operatively connected to the slack runs of the said endless belts connecting some of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at one side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said last-named pulleys, and adjustable tension means operatively connected to the tension runs of said endless belts connecting others of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at the other side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said pulleys on said last-named spindles, means common to said first-named tension means and to said second-named tension means for adjusting their respective tensions in such a way that the tension exerted by one of said tension means is increased and the tension exerted by the other of said tension means is decreased.

2. .A multiple-spindle drive as defined in claim 1, in which said first-named tension means are disposed at levels below said some of said driving pulleys and said second-named tension means are disposed at levels below said others of said driving pulleys.

3. A multiple spindle drive as defined in claim 1 wherein said first-named and said second-named tension means comprise tension pulleys respectively engaging said slack runs and said tension runs, each of said pulleys having at least one spring operatively connected thereto, said means common to said first-named tension means and to said second-named tension means including means for adjusting the strength of at least one of the springs controlling the belt tension on the said driven pulleys on the spindles at said one side of said drive shaft.

4. A multiple-spindle drive for spinning machines or the like comprising a single drive shaft, a row of spindles at each side of said drive shaft, driving pulleys on said drive shaft and driven pulleys on said spindles, separate endless belts connecting said driving pulleys with said driven pulleys, tension means operatively connected to the slack runs of the said endless belts connecting some of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at one side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said last-named pulleys, and tension means operatively connected to the tension runs of said endless belts connecting others of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at the other side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said pulleys on said last-named spindles, said first-named and said second-named tension means comprising tension pulleys respectively engaging said slack rums and said tension runs, a plurality of shafts, a pair of arms connected to each of said shafts in a spaced relation to each other and extending in substantially opposite directions, means for rotatably mounting said shafts and for securing the same in a fixed position so as to permit said arms on each of said shafts to be pivoted simultaneously to a predetermined extent in one direction or the other, and a plurality of springs, each of said springs operatively connecting one of said arms to one of said tension pulleys to maintain said pulleys under tension to tighten said belts whereby, when said shafts are turned in one direction, the arms at one side of said shafts increase the tension of the springs connected to one set of tension pulleys, while the arms at the other side simultaneously reduce the tension of the springs connected to the other set of tension pulleys.

5. A multiple-spindle drive for spinning machines or the like comprising a single drive shaft, a row of spindles at each side of said drive shaft, driving pulleys on said drive shaft and driven pulley's on said spindles, separate endless belts connecting said driving pulleys with said driven pulleys, tension means operatively connected to the slack runs of the said end-less belts connecting some of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at one side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said last-named pulleys, and tension means operatively connected to the tension runs of said endless belts connecting others of said driving pulleys with the driven pulleys on the spindles at the other side of said drive shaft to control the belt tension on said pulleys on said last-named spindles, said first-named and secondnamed tension means comprising tension pulleys operatively engaging said slack runs and said tension runs, a shaft extending parallel to said drive shaft, a plurality of arms, connected to said shaft in a spaced relation to each other and forming two sets extending in substantially opposite directions to each other, means for rotatably mounting said shaft and for securing the same in a fixed position so as to permit all of said arms to be pivoted simultaneously to a predetermined extent in one direction or the other, and a plurality of springs, each of said springs operatively connecting one of said arms to one of said tension pulleys to maintain said pulleys under tension to tighten said belts, whereby, When said shaft is turned in one direction, the set of arms at one side of said shaft increases the tension of all the springs connected to one set of tension pulleys, while the other set of arms at the other side of said shaft simultaneously reduces the tension of all the springs connected to the other set of tension pulleys.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 961,005 Perkins June 7, 1910 1,025,254 Drew et al. May 7, 1912 1,577,870 Potter Mar. 23, 1926 1,835,617 Stewart Dec. 8, 1931 1,973,348 Kooistra Sept. 11, 1934 2,014,397 Smith Sept. 17, 1935 2,303,172 Nutting Nov. 24, 1942 

